Inferiority Complex
by Arisuki
Summary: Holland had never imagined he would meet her like that; that he would fall in love with her like that; that he would have to win her like that - but it made him that more intent on stealing her away from his brother. HollandxTalho. Rated M for content.


Holland x Talho fanfic.

_AUTHOR'S NOTE: _This is how I've imagined that Talho and Holland met and got to know each other. Loosely based on some major events in the anime.

**Rated M for adult content. **Precaution taken with regard to the development of the story.

_Disclaimer: I do not own Eureka Seven or any of the character. Eureka Seven belongs to Bones._

**Chapter 1: A fine woman**

He was nowhere to be found, his brother.

As expected of a man of ambitions, the commander of the SOF force Dewey Novak always kept his hands busy. Never could you get a steady hold on him, especially not when needed most. Holland had gotten used to it since he was a kid, but nonetheless it still annoyed him to no end.

He used to look up to his older brother. He still did, somewhat, but he couldn't help but feel a twitch of envy whenever he watched his straight back, striding forward with his head held high. Even though he himself received many admiring stares for his achievements as the ace pilot of the SOF squad, he always felt small next to Dewey. A little boy pathetically trying to match up his brother's pace, but never more than the edge of his shadow.

Holland shook his head, the short silver-grey locks tossing wildly around his head. He thought he had come to peace with his inferiority complex. Apparently not. Like a jack-in-the-box, it still occasionally showcased its ugly devil face whenever he had to depend on his brother for something. Now was unfortunately one of those times.

He took a deep breath, reminding himself that this was his last option, and knocked on the door to his brother private chambers. "Dewey, are you in there? I have a petition I need you to affirm for the next SOF mission!"

No response. He sighed. He had expected as much. He had looked for him all over the base, rushing through hallways and almost snapping the neck of several lower-ranking officers from listening to their mistaken confidentiality crap about maintaining an utmost level of secrecy in regards to the commander's schedule - which probably at most were pathetic attempts at sucking up to their highest superior- before he _finally_ got hold of some information of actual relevance; apparently, the commander had cleared all previous engagements from his schedule last night to make room for a late-night, private dinner. Thus leading him here.

"It's an urgent matter," he said impatiently, making a crescendo of knocks. "I'm coming in, Dewey!"

He brought out a card key, which he had gotten for "special uses" from his brother, unlocked the door and peaked in. At a glance, there seemed to be no one in there. He pushed the door open a little further with his shoulder, and quickly swept through the narrow passage, making sure to close it behind him as well.

The room was bathed in a mild darkness, born from the tightly shut curtains that blocked out all rays of the morning sun. A pungent, heavy odor hung in the air. There was something familiar and sensual about it, yet he couldn't quite point his finger to it. Didn't matter either though, he was here to find Dewey.

A rustling noise brought his attention to the bed, a few feet across to his right. Sheets shuffled and a crumbled figure arose, slowly and unsteadily as if even a light summer breeze could easily force it down. Too messy and altogether too defenseless to be his brother was what a perplexed Holland realized all too late.

Warm hazel orbs looked out drowsily at him from behind a mass of long, raven-black hair. The bare chest rose and fell as the last breaths of sleep an liquor left the slender, white-skinned body. Nothing but the curvy hips bore threads of those very deceitful sheets, dangerously gravitating further and further down.

She was beautiful; and definitely not his brother.

"Commander… Novak…" She mumbled, still too drowsy to grasp that he she had gotten hold of the _wrong_ brother. Holland turned a bright shade of scarlet, his whole face flaring with embarrassment. It wasn't that he hadn't seen or been with a woman before. At age 23, he had the pleasure of touching his fair share of women, but this one had caught him so off guard, he couldn't figure what to make of himself. Moreover, he was unable to look away.

An awkward moment followed wherein both of them realized the situation they were in. Every action that happened thereafter played out like simultaneous movements in a mirror. While her pretty face turned wry, eyebrow twitching, Holland's subsequently flared to an even deeper shade. As she pullet the blanket up to cover her naked breasts, he moved back a step towards the door. And when her stare intensified upon his uniform-clad figure, he conversely broke off all eye contact, feeling akin to a kid being punished for pulling a bad prank.

"Who are you?" Her tone of voice was cold and demanding, yet he was surprised at how composed she managed to act, given the fact that she was trapped in a bedroom, naked and with a man whose motives she knew nothing about. He figured she probably was a part of the military too. "Isn't that an SOF uniform you're wearing? Has the squad begun to specialize in peeping?"

Her mockery threw of his temper, and Holland instantly forgot all about the courtesy of looking away. He was just about to retort, when the door flung open.

"My, my, look at this."

"Commander!" The two of them exclaimed in perfect sync, a response pattern which Holland had to take one very evil glare from the woman for. In the door frame, none other than Dewey Novak had made his appearance. "I know very well that Miss Talho is a lovely lady, Holland but that's no excuse for you to intrude on her in her sleep. I apologize for any inconvenience my brother might have caused you."

"Brother?" The woman, Talho, eyed him from tip to toe, lightly tinting his flustered cheeks further. "So this is the famous Holland Novak. I never knew your force were elite _perverts._"

Dewey joined her at the bedside. She looked so young next to his brother. He grabbed her chin with one hand whilst gently brushing away a stray strand of hair from her face with other. "I thought you would at least have figured out as much already with your expertise in information; just last night alone should confirm it plentifully."

For the first time during the whole episode, the woman blushed. Holland felt a small surge of jealousy rush through him. He hadn't even managed to make her feel one bit self-conscious, yet in a matter of seconds his brother had her all flustered.

"Well then, since I believe the two of you will become acquainted soon enough, we'll excuse ourselves, Miss Talho." Dewey said and kissed her lightly on the forehead. He then turned to Holland, and led him out of the room with a hand gesture. "Officer Novak, if you please."

With the door well closed behind them, Dewey, to no surprise, began to firmly stride down the hallway. Holland quickly followed, not wanting to lose this chance given to him. "So," Dewey began, keeping his eyes straight ahead as he walked. "What do you think?"

"Of what?" Holland purposely played the ignorant card, although he already knew what was being implied.

"She's a fine woman, don't you think?" he continued. "A bit rough around the edges. Got a sharp tongue, but she knows how to behave in public. On top, she has a bright head and a beautiful face. What more could a man ask for?"

"Are you infatuated with her?" said Holland, evading the rhetorical question from his brother.

"Infatuated?" A mild, monotone laughter was born in the gap between them. It was a laughter akin to that of any stately noble man. That's was his brother, always thinking about outwardly appearances. "Infatuated might be a bit much, but all men have needs that must be satisfied; and it just so happens to coincide with a proper candidate for female company at social gatherings. Of course the former of the two remains confidential, but indeed a quite splendid find she is." Holland said nothing to that. Most of all he wanted to forget his embarrassing encounter with that woman.

"However, I assume you didn't show up at my private chambers just to gape at my woman," – Holland had to bite his lower lip hard to prevent his traitorous cheeks from blazing again – "Make it short and precise, I don't have a lot of time on my hands."

"This," he handed over the accursed petition that had been the cause of all his misfortune that morning. "I need your signature to affirm a mission which requires the use of 'special resources'. The enemy possess a highly advanced security system which makes infiltration a necessary mean to complete the mission."

"Ahh, so you'll have to rely on close cooperation with the Information bureau for this one."

"Mhn. The information bureau has already given their acquiescence, so with your consent we'll proceed with a strategy meeting already tomorrow morning," Holland replied.

The commander of the SOF quickly skimmed down the closely written lines of the paper, then smirked. "Omoshiroi, omoshiroi. I hadn't thought it would be this soon, but surely enough this will do just fine."

The younger brother had no idea what his older brother meant, but the following day a great part of him wished it had remained a mystery.


End file.
